Access to Work Scheme

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the access to work programme applies to elected councillors, in the absence of a contract of employment.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: One of the basic eligibility criteria for access to work is that applicants should be in or about to start paid employment. Councillors and elected officials who receive payment only for expenses such as travel and subsistence are treated as voluntary workers and are not eligible for access to work. Some councillors, however, receive allowances over and above payment for expenses. Where these allowances are classed as taxable income by HM Revenue and Customs we can treat the person as in employment and provided other conditions are satisfied, we can pay access to work.
	We are reviewing our guidance to access to work advisers to ensure it is clear.

Alcohol

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people in England and Wales under the age of 18 were (a) prosecuted, and (b) cautioned for attempting to purchase alcohol in each year since 2005.

Lord West of Spithead: The number of young persons who were proceeded against at magistrates' courts or issued with a reprimand/final warning for the offence of purchasing alcohol whilst under the age of 18 years can be viewed in the attached tables one and two. From June 2000, cautions for offenders under 18 years old were replaced by reprimands and final warnings. The data have been broken down by age and police force area.
	The number of young persons aged 16 to 17 who were issued with a penalty notice for disorder (PND) for the offence of purchasing alcohol whilst under the age of 18 years can be viewed in the attached table three. (The PND scheme was rolled-out to all police forces in England and Wales in 2004)
	Court proceedings and PND data for 2007 will be available in November 2008.
	
		
			 The number of young persons aged 16 to 17 years issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offence buying or attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 in England and Wales for the years 2005 to 2006(1)(2)(3) 
			  Buying alcohol by person under 18 Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by person under 18 
			 Police force 2005(4) 2006 
			 Avon and Somerset - - 
			 Bedfordshire - - 
			 British Transport Police - 1 
			 Cambridgeshire - - 
			 Cheshire - - 
			 Cleveland - - 
			 Cumbria - 4 
			 Derbyshire - - 
			 Devon and Cornwall - 3 
			 Dorset - - 
			 Durham - - 
			 Essex 1 - 
			 Gloucestershire - 1 
			 Greater Manchester 1 - 
			 Hampshire - 1 
			 Hertfordshire - 13 
			 Humberside 1 2 
			 Kent - 1 
			 Lancashire 2 9 
			 Leicestershire - - 
			 Lincolnshire - 1 
			 London, City of - - 
			 Merseyside 5 7 
			 Metropolitan Police - - 
			 Norfolk - - 
			 North Yorkshire - 1 
			 Northamptonshire - - 
			 Northumbria 1 2 
			 Nottinghamshire - - 
			 South Yorkshire - - 
			 Staffordshire - 7 
			 Suffolk - - 
			 Surrey - 1 
			 Sussex 5 3 
			 Thames Valley - - 
			 Warwickshire - - 
			 West Mercia - 2 
			 West Midlands - - 
			 West Yorkshire - - 
			 Wiltshire - - 
			 England 16 59 
			 Dyfed-Powys - - 
			 Gwent - 1 
			 North Wales 1 2 
			 South Wales - - 
			 Wales 1 3 
			 England and Wales 17 62 
		
	
	- Nil
	(1) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes:
	Buying/attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18. Licensing Act 1964
	Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18. Section 149(1)of the Licensing Act 2003 (c.17)
	(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	(4) This offence came into force on 4 April 2005
	Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEAU—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice
	Our Ref: IOS 190-08 (Table 3) (Contribution for PQ 197365]
	
		
			 The number of young persons under the age of 18 years issued with a reprimand or final warning by certain age groups for the offence purchase of alcohol by an individual under 18 by Police Force Areas in England and Wales for the years 2002 to 2006(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) 
			  Reprimands/Final Warnings 
			 Force and age group 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
			 Avon and Somerset  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Bedfordshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Cambridgeshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Cheshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 City of London  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Cleveland  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 1 1 - - - 
			 16-17 - 1 - - - 
			 Cumbria  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - 1 2 1 - 
			 16-17 4 2 9 4 1 
			 Derbyshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-16 - 1 - - - 
			 Devon and Cornwall  
			 0-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Dorset  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - 1 
			 Durham  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - 1 - - 1 
			 Essex  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 1 - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Gloucestershire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Greater Manchester  
			 10-13 1 - - - - 
			 14-15 2 - - - - 
			 16-17 4 - - - - 
			 Hampshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - 1 - - 1 
			 Hertfordshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 1 - - - - 
			 Humberside  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Kent  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Lancashire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - 1 - - - 
			 Leicestershire  
			 10-13 - 1 - - - 
			 14-15 - 1 - - - 
			 16-17 1 - - - - 
			 Lincolnshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Merseyside  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - 4 - - 
			 Metropolitan Police  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Norfolk  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 North Yorkshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 1 - 2 - 2 
			 Northamptonshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Northumbria  
			 10-13 - 1 - - - 
			 14-15 - 4 1 2 1 
			 16-17 3 - 2 7 1 
			 Nottinghamshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 South Yorkshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - 1 - 1 
			 16-17 - - - 1 - 
			 Staffordshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - 2 - - 1 
			 16-17 - 1 - 2 - 
			 Suffolk  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 1 - - - - 
			 Surrey  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - 1 - 
			 Sussex  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - 1 - 
			 16-17 1 1 - - - 
			 Thames Valley  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Warwickshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 West Marcia  
			 10-13 - - - - 1 
			 14-15 - - 3 - - 
			 16-17 - - 2 - - 
			 West Midlands  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-1.5 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 West Yorkshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Wiltshire  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - 3 - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 Dyfed-Powys  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - 3 - - - 
			 16-17 - 4 5 - - 
			 Gwent  
			 10-13 - 1 - - - 
			 14-15 1 - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 North Wales  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 South Wales  
			 10-13 - - - - - 
			 14-15 - - - - - 
			 16-17 - - - - - 
			 England and Wales  
			 10-13 1 3 0 0 1 
			 14-15 5 12 7 7 3 
			 16-17 16 12 25 15 7 
		
	
	- Nil
	(1) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes:
	Person under 18 buying or attempting to buy or consuming intoxicating liquor.
	Person under 18 buying or consuming intoxicating liquor in licensed premises.
	Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, schedule, paragraph 3(4)(2). Licensing Act 1964, Section 169(2).
	Purchase of alcohol by an individual under 18. Licensing Act 2003 Section 149(1)(7a)
	(2) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. Reprimands and final warnings are included in the above data.
	(4) The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005.
	(5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEAU—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice
	Our Ref: IOS 190-08 (Table 2) [Contribution for PQ 197365]

Alcohol

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people in England and Wales were (a) prosecuted, and (b) cautioned for buying or attempting to buy alcohol for someone under-age in each year since 2005.

Lord West of Spithead: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates' courts or issued with a caution, for offences relating to buying or attempting to buy alcohol on behalf of a person under 18 years in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006 can be viewed in the attached table one. The number of persons receiving a PND for this offence can be found in table two.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in November 2008.
	
		
			 The number of persons issued with a caution, and proceeded against at magistrates' courts for certain alcohol offences in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 
			 Offence description 
			  Buying or attempting to buy intoxicating liquor for consumption by a person under 18. Purchasing intoxicating liquor for consumption by person under 18 in bar.  Person who buys or attempts to buy alcohol on behalf of an individual under 18.  
			 Year Proceeded against Cautions(3) Proceeded against Cautions(3) 
			 2004 38 14 - - 
			 2005 29 12 - 2 
			 2006 14 11 18 13 
		
	
	- Nil
	(1) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes:
	Buying or attempting to buy intoxicating liquor for consumption by a person under 18.
	Purchasing intoxicating liquor for consumption by person under 18 in bar.
	Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983 schedule, Paragraph 3(4)(3). Licensing Act 1964 Sec 169(3).
	Person who buys or attempts to buy alcohol on behalf of an individual under 18. Licensing Act 2003 5149(3,4,7b)
	(3) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. Reprimands and final warnings are included in the above data.
	(4) The Licensing Act 2003 came into force on 24 November 2005.
	(5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice
	Our Ref: IOS 204-08 (Table 1) [Contribution for PQ 191307]
	
		
			 The number of persons issued with a penalty notice for disorder for the offences purchasing alcohol for under 18 and purchasing alcohol for under 18 for consumption on premises in England and Wales for the years 2004 to 2006(1)(2)(3)(4) 
			 Year Purchase alcohol for person under 18 Purchase alcohol person under 18 for consumption on premises 
			 2004 18 66 
			 2005 170 83 
			 2006 407 60 
		
	
	(1) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(2) Data includes the following offence descriptions and corresponding statute:
	Buys or attempts to buy alcohol on behalf of person under 18—Section 3 of the Licensing Act 2003
	Buys or attempts to buy alcohol for consumption on relevant premises by person under 18. Section 149(4) of the Licensing Act 2003
	(3) New legislative reference with effect from, 24 November 2005 on implementation of Licensing Act 2003
	(4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	Source: Court proceedings data held by RDS—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice
	Our Ref: IOS 204-08 (Table 2) [Contribution for PQ 191307]

Aluminium

Baroness O'Cathain: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any government department has requested or received copies of any report regarding any investigation or inquiry undertaken by, or on behalf of, the European Commission, or the European Commission Director-General for Trade, Mr David O'Sullivan, into the conduct of any aspect of the service as a European Commissioner of the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, including discussions and decisions on aluminium tariffs; if so, when they were requested or received; and whether they will place copies of any such reports in the Library of the House.

Lord Mandelson: The Director-General for Trade in the European Commission, David O'Sullivan, explained in a letter to the Sunday Times on 16 October that in respect to both the nine-year debate in the EU over tariffs on raw aluminium and to anti-dumping duties on Russian aluminium the decisions were made "after the usual consultation procedures had taken place, including with industry and all 27 European member states, and were based on sound facts". This letter was copied to my department. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Aluminium: Oleg Deripaska

Lord Hamilton of Epsom: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform or the Prime Minister's Office were notified before the press officer for trade in the European Commission issued a statement saying that the Secretary of State had met Mr Oleg Deripaska at a few social gatherings in 2006 and 2007 and never discussed aluminium.

Lord Mandelson: During the weekend when I moved from Brussels to London and prior to my being admitted to hospital for an urgent medical procedure, a statement was released to the press which said that I had meetings with Mr Deripaska in 2006 and 2007, which led some people to form the reasonable view that my first meeting with Mr Deripaska was therefore in 2006. I have subsequently made clear that to the best of my recollection I first met Mr Deripaska in 2004, and several times subsequently.

Aluminium: Oleg Deripaska

Lord Hamilton of Epsom: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform will recuse himself from any discussions relating to aluminium tariffs or any business in which Mr Oleg Deripaska has a significant interest.

Lord Mandelson: I will abide by the Ministerial Code and avoid any conflict of interest or perception of such in how I conduct my department's business.

Aluminium: Oleg Deripaska

Baroness O'Cathain: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Statement on 24 October by the Prime Minister that the nature of the dealings of the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with Mr Oleg Deripaska was already investigated by the European Commission when he was a commissioner and the answer was nothing untoward happened, (a) what were the date, responsible authority and terms of reference of the investigation to which the Prime Minister referred; and (b) whether they will place a copy of any report of that investigation in the Library of the House.

Lord Mandelson: The Director-General for Trade in the European Commission, David O'Sullivan, has confirmed in a letter to the Sunday Times on 16 October that I made no personal intervention to support the commercial interests of Mr Deripaska. Mr O'Sullivan explained in his letter that in respect to both the nine-year debate in the EU over tariffs on raw aluminium and to anti-dumping duties on Russian aluminium the decisions were made "after the usual consultation procedures had taken place, including with industry and all 27 European member states, and were based on sound facts". This letter was copied to my department. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Armed Forces: Coroners' Inquest

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the new service inquiry panels will be able to investigate cases involving Armed Forces personnel who have been discharged through a related injury; and
	Under what circumstances new service inquiry panels will be convened; and under what circumstances it will not be necessary to convene a panel.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The purpose of a service inquiry is to establish the facts and to make recommendations in order to prevent recurrence. It is an internal fact-finding investigation primarily to assist in maintaining operational effectiveness. A service inquiry may be held into any matter where anything of consequence may be learned regardless of whether any individuals involved have been discharged subsequently from service.
	The Armed Forces (Service Inquiries) Regulations 2008 require a service inquiry to be held in the event of the death of a serviceman, where anything of consequence may be learned which is not apparent from the death or which has not been or is unlikely to be identified by any other report.
	It is a matter of Ministry of Defence policy that a service inquiry should also be held in the following circumstances where the convening authority considers that anything of consequence may be learned, which is not readily apparent and which has not been or is unlikely to be identified by any other report into the matter:
	the death of a civilian if the death occurs on or in a MoD unit, ship, or establishment and is either work related or the death occurs during service organised activity;the serious injury of a service person or any civilian where the injury takes place in a service unit, ship, or establishment or may be work-related or may be the result of service organised activity; andany aviation occurrence that requires formal investigation.
	There is discretion, too, depending on the nature and circumstances of an incident, to convene a service inquiry into any matter where the convening authority determines that anything of consequence may be learned, which is not readily apparent or which have not been or are unlikely to be identified by any other report into the matter. Such matters for consideration include:
	ordnance, munitions and explosive accidents;maritime accidents;navigational incidents;loss or serious damage to property;near misses;financial losses;harassment and bullying;health and safety;environment; andsecurity.
	The convening authority should consider the following factors when deciding whether a service inquiry is required for such matters that are not mandated by regulations or policy:
	whether the matter is of sufficient seriousness to warrant a service inquiry;whether any other investigations have been initiated and, if so, whether a service inquiry would be able to add anything to the outcome of these investigations;the complexity of the issue and whether an inquiry would improve operational effectiveness or restore confidence in a particular piece of equipment or procedures; andwhether the matter is of a joint nature and may have wider implications for the service or defence.
	The decision as to whether to convene a service inquiry will be informed by other investigations such as a police investigation and a learning account, and other specialist investigations such as those conducted by the land accident investigation team.

Armed Forces: Coroners' Inquest

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the event of a service inquiry panel not being convened following a death or incapacitation of a member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, what internal investigations would be undertaken by the Ministry of Defence; whether the findings of such investigations will be available to the families of deceased armed forces personnel; and whether such findings will be available to any coroner's inquest into a death.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The purpose of a service inquiry is to establish the facts and to make recommendations in order to prevent recurrence. It is an internal fact-finding investigation primarily to assist in maintaining operational effectiveness. Depending on the nature and location of the incident, internal investigations may include a service police investigation and a learning account and specialist investigations such as those conducted by the land accident investigation team. The findings of all such investigations will inform the decision as to whether to convene a service inquiry. They will also inform the briefings given to families both of the deceased and those who are incapacitated, to help their understanding of events. Where a death has occurred, these findings will also be made available to the coroner.

Banking

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether bonuses for personnel of banks which have used the bank reconstruction fund will distinguish between conventional bonuses for staff and restricted bonuses for senior managers and directors in the foreseeable future.

Lord Myners: The Government expect that banks participating in the recapitalisation scheme do not pay cash bonuses to board members in 2008. Going forward, remuneration policy and incentive schemes will be reviewed and linked to long-term value creation, taking account of risk, and restricting the potential for rewards for failure.

Bloody Sunday: Saville Inquiry

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 29 September (WA 306), what are the factors which influence their decisions as to whether an apology for incorrect information should be given.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Decisions on whether or not an apology is appropriate are taken on a case-by-case basis. The factors which influence a decision will vary from case to case.

British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 21 July (WA 199) concerning areas of mutual interest for the Government of the Republic of Ireland, what matters of east/west activities have been of mutual interest.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: North/south and east/west matters of mutual interest are a standard item on the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) agenda and issues discussed are relevant and pertinent at the particular time of the meeting. Examples of east/west items which have been discussed at past meetings have included avian/pandemic flu, EU Lisbon strategy and UK/RoI mobile phone roaming charges. Joint communiqués issued after each BIIGC are available on the Northern Ireland Office website at www.nio.gov.uk.

Crime: Holocaust Denial

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the past year, how many persons accused of holocaust denial have been arrested pursuant to an European arrest warrant under Section 21 of the Extradition Act 2003 and discharged by the judge because the charge was incompatible with the person's Convention rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Lord West of Spithead: In the past year, one person has been arrested pursuant to a European arrest warrant accused of racism and xenophobia, and computer-related crime. This case is currently before the courts.

Crime: New Offences

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many new criminal offences were created between 1997 and 2007; and of these how many originated from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or its predecessors.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It would be a disproportionate use of resources, due to the amount of research involved, to provide figures for the total number of new offences created in the period concerned, and how many were attributable to Defra or its predecessors.
	Defra is responsible for a large amount of secondary legislation each year, including implementation of European Community obligations. Such legislation may re-enact existing offences or draw down the application of an offence in primary legislation to activities within the scope of the statutory instrument. Some offences are short-lived, being contained in legislation to deal with animal health emergencies.
	Defra came into being on 8 June 2001 and has data on offences created in primary legislation sponsored by Defra, and so is able to provide information on such offences from that date.
	The following Acts created criminal offences in the 2002-03 Session of Parliament:
	the Animal Health Act 2002 (c.42) created several criminal offences including the offence of deliberately infecting an animal with any one of 15 diseases specified in the Act, including foot and mouth disease. The schedule created an offence of failing to comply with a restriction notice preventing the use for breeding of sheep that are of a genotype that is susceptible to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) and also offences of obstructing an inspector carrying out duties under the Act;the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 (c.33) provided powers to make offences by regulation for failures to comply with the scheme to be created; andthe Water Act 2003 (c.37) made it an offence under Part 1 to fail to comply with a notice served by the Environment Agency requiring work to be carried out on facilities for impounding water or a licence application to be made for unlicensed impounding works.Where abstraction or impounding takes place without a licence or does not comply with the terms of a licence, the Act made it an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice issued by the Environment Agency. Part 2 created the offence of introducing water to or supplying water from a water undertaker's supply system without being a water undertaker or a licensed supply person. Under Part 3 it is an offence for an owner of manager of a large raised reservoir to fail to prepare a flood plan when required to do so. Part 3 also extended the offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption to apply to persons including employees of the water undertaker and self-employed people involved with the supply of water;
	During the 2003-04 Session the following Acts created criminal offences:
	the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 (c.11) makes it an offence for any person to act as an unlicensed gangmaster and for any other person to enter into arrangements with an unlicensed gangmaster. The Act also created other offences in relation to forgery of documents;the Highways (Obstruction by Body Corporate) Act 2004 (c.29) extended the offence of obstructing a highway under the Highways Act 1980 so that the directors, managers and other company officers of a guilty company may also be found guilty of the obstruction if it was committed with their consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect;the Hunting Act 2004 (c.37) made it an offence under Part 1 to hunt a wild mammal with a dog, except in some circumstances such as where the dog is being used for stalking and flushing-out only, or to participate in, attend or knowingly facilitate a hare-coursing event.Part 1 also makes it an offence for the owner of a dog to permit it to be used for hunting or hare-coursing or for the owner of land to allow the land to be entered or used for hunting or hare-coursing.
	During the 2004-05 Session the following Act created criminal offences:
	the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (c. 16) created offences in relation to nuisance parking which is the selling or repairing of vehicles on a road by persons in business. Part 6 of the Act created offences in relation to breach of Dog Control Orders, which in relation to specified land may exclude dogs from the land, or prohibit the fouling of the land, or require dogs to be kept on leads when on the land or may limit the number of dogs a person may take on to the specified land. In relation to certain premises in an alarm notification area Part 7 of the Act created offences of failing to nominate a key-holder where an audible intruder alarm is present.The Act also made many existing offences punishable by a fixed penalty notice.
	During the 2005-06 Session the following Acts created criminal offences:
	the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (c.45) created offences related to the welfare of animals, such as causing suffering, mutilation, docking of dogs' tails, administering poisons, animal fighting (including publicising and encouraging attendance, and betting) and not taking reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of an animal for which a person is responsible; andthe Natural Environment Act and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16) created criminal offences in Part 3 in relation to pesticides harmful to wildlife and sale etc of invasive non-native species of plants or animals, and extended certain offences in relation to wild birds. Part 4 created offences in relation to sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs).
	In the 2006-07 Session, Defra did not sponsor any Acts, and no Acts sponsored by Defra in the 2007-08 session have been passed, at the date of response.

Defence: Expenditure

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will consider measures to reduce defence spending, in view of the current level of public finances.

Lord Myners: The Government set out their plans for public spending in the Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2007. The next update on the UK fiscal position will be at the 2008 Pre-Budget Report. It will set out how we are supporting the economy in the short-term, whilst taking the necessary decisions to ensure the public finances remain on a sustainable path in the medium term.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Rainforests

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding their decision to allow logging in their rainforests; and what their assessment is of the likely damage to the environment.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The Interministerial Commission for the review of logging concessions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported its preliminary findings on 6 October 2008. It recommended the cancellation of approximately 70 per cent of existing logging titles, reducing from 22 million hectares to 7 million hectares the forest area dedicated to industrial logging. When presenting the findings, the DRC Environment Minister also confirmed that the current moratorium on new logging concessions will remain in place for another three years, which is welcome news. At the same time, it is important to note that the most important drivers of deforestation are agricultural and fuel wood production which are likely to grow in importance as the DRC economy continues its recovery after years of conflict.
	If implemented in full, the Commission's recommendations should be positive for the DRC environment because they will actually reduce the area open to commercial logging to 11 per cent of the country's productive forests. The same ratio for the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) region (excluding the DRC) is 73 per cent. We are therefore not planning specific representations to the DRC Government on the Commission's findings, but will instead help strengthen governance and management of the forestry sector. Through a partnership with Germany funded by the Congo Basin Forest Start-up Fund, the UK is working directly with the DRC Forestry and Environment Ministry to strengthen its capacity at national and provincial levels.

Disabled People: Football Grounds

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the progress made by football clubs in implementing the requirements of the accessible stadia guide to ensure that the experience of visiting their grounds is equal for both disabled and able-bodied supporters.

Lord Carter of Barnes: Through the accessible stadia guide, the Government have ensured that the minimum standards for disabled facilities at sport stadia are clear and understandable. Save where there are specific safety concerns, assessments on implementing the guide's recommendations is not a matter for the Government.

Disabled People: Football Grounds

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will commission new access audits of disabled supporter facilities at Premier League and Football League grounds.

Lord Carter of Barnes: It is not for the Government to commission such audits. It is for each football club to assess its current and future compliance with disability discrimination legislation.

Education: Land-based Diploma

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 17 October (WA 77—78), how many of the 3,621 land-based diploma places carry an assurance of 10 days in the workplace at each level.

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The Government can give the assurance that all learners taking land-based and the environment diplomas at each level from September 2009 should have a minimum of 10 days' work experience in the workplace at some point during their two-year course.
	Every year, some half a million 14-to-16 year-olds undertake work-experience placements. These are mainly arranged through education business partnership organisations that are also supporting the delivery of diplomas.
	To secure approval to deliver diplomas, 14-to-19 consortia of schools and colleges will have demonstrated effective local employer engagement with named employers in their Diploma Gateway applications. 14-to-19 consortia have also been taking action to strengthen local employer support and to ensure there are sufficient high-quality work-experience placements available for all their diploma students. To assist them, we published "Employer Engagement—A guide for Diploma Consortia" in July 2007 which is available on the department's 14-to-19 website.

Elections: Stoke-on-Trent

Lord Grocott: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the results of all local referenda on directly elected mayors including the most recent referendum in Stoke-on-Trent.

Baroness Andrews: The results of each local referendum on a directly elected mayor have been published by the council concerned as required by regulations made under Part II of the Local Government Act 2000. I have placed today in the Library of the House a table summarising the result for all such referendums held to date.

Government Departments: Websites

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is the policy of the Department for Communities and Local Government to exclude Christmas from those festivals marked by a message of goodwill and respect on its website.

Baroness Andrews: The Department for Communities and Local Government marks the main religious festivals of the major faiths with a goodwill message posted on the department's website. In the past 12 months messages have been posted to celebrate Diwali, Vaisakhi, Chanukah, Easter and Ramadan. At Christmas, the department sends Christmas cards.

Gypsies and Travellers

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Statement by Baroness Andrews on 29 September (WS 162—63), how the Homes and Communities Agency will decide in which places people will choose to live; and how it will make this decision on behalf of Gypsies and Travellers.

Baroness Andrews: The HCA will not decide where people will choose to live. As at present, regional and local authorities will determine what new housing is needed and where it can best be provided through the planning framework. In relation to accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers, regional spatial strategies will set out the number of pitches required in each local planning authority area, with local authorities identifying land in development plan documents sufficient to meet that need.
	The HCA's role will be to ensure that the housing targets identified in plans are delivered in a way that creates the kind of communities people want to live in. It will do so either directly, through its funding programmes, the use of surplus public sector land, and the other expertise it can offer, or indirectly, by supporting local authorities, other public sector bodies and private sector partners.

Health: Contraception

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 12 December (Official Report, col. 225), what progress has been made on the pilot scheme to allow over-the-counter access to the contraceptive pill; and whether they are planning to introduce further measures to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in the United Kingdom.

Lord Darzi of Denham: To date, the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority has not received any applications to reclassify oral contraceptives from prescription only medicine to pharmacy status.
	The Government have invested an additional £26.8 million in 2008-09 to improve women's access to contraception and help reduce the number of teenage pregnancies. Funding will continue in 2009-10 and 2010-11. Some primary care trusts are using this funding to pilot the supply of a range of methods of contraception in pharmacies under National Health Service arrangements.
	The department is working with these areas to assess the success of these pilots over the next two years. The department is also undertaking a programme of work to support reductions in teenage pregnancy and abortions including a new targeted campaign to highlight contraceptive choices available to women, strengthening links between abortion and contraception services and issuing new guidance Good Practice Guidance on Commissioning Contraceptive and Abortion Services which will be published shortly.

Houses of Parliament: Website

Lord Norton of Louth: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	How many visitors there have been to the House of Lords home page on the Parliament website in each month since October 2007.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The number of visits to the House of Lords home page on the Parliament website since October 2007, broken down by month, is set out below.
	
		
			 Month Visits 
			 October 2007 27,002 
			 November 2007 27,372 
			 December 2007 19,403 
			 January 2008 25,169 
			 February 2008 23,657 
			 March 2008 23,978 
			 April 2008 23,086 
			 May 2008 21,122 
			 June 2008 22,033 
			 July 2008 19,202 
			 August 2008 11,326 
			 September 2008 16,207 
			 October 2008 26,758

International Labour Organisation: Decent Work

Lord Rana: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking to encourage the implementation of international initiatives supporting the International Labour Organisation's social justice and decent work principles.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government participate fully in International Labour Organisation (ILO) governing body and conference discussions aimed at promoting implementation of the ILO's work on social justice and decent work, including those relating to the 2008 declaration on social justice for a fair globalisation and its follow-up. The Government also engage with the ILO to help member states meet the aims of its decent work agenda. This includes funding in support of ILO decent work country programmes, under a partnership framework agreement for the period 2006 to 2009.

Northern Ireland Office: Agencies

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 21 October (WA 95) concerning inland revenue payments made for agencies and related organisations by the Northern Ireland Office, whether gross amounts were paid to members of the Parades Commission; and whether the Northern Ireland Office will pay Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs income tax for those members for that period.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: I would refer the noble Lord to the Answers given on 21 October (Official Report, col. WA 95) and 7 July (Official Report, col. WA 67).

Passports

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the proposal to require all persons entering Great Britain from Northern Ireland to have passports will apply to children; and who will be required to check whether those departing have the necessary papers.

Lord West of Spithead: Passengers will not be required to produce passports on arrival following any domestic air or sea journey within the United Kingdom, including on Northern Ireland-Great Britain routes. Arrangements for the introduction of the police power under Section 14 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 are still being planned, including the extent to which they could apply to children.
	It is intended, subject to consultation, that people will be required to produce one of several types of documentation before travelling to enable the carrier to check identities of passengers and crew in order to meet the requirements of a police request. The types of acceptable documentation will be discussed with carriers as part of the consultation process.
	The Police Service of Northern Ireland and other UK police forces will use the data collected under this power to support intelligence-led interventions to counter terrorism and tackle serious organised crime.

Planning: Eco-towns

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will announce the short list of eco-towns; and whether the list will include 10 locations.

Baroness Andrews: The Government are still consulting on the eco-town locations and expects to announce the final shortlist of locations with potential to be an eco-town early in 2009. At this stage in the consultation process it is not possible for the Government to say how many locations will be listed.

Planning: Eco-towns

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish the advice they receive from the Eco-towns Challenge Panel.

Baroness Andrews: The notes and recommendations from the Eco-town Challenge Panel session 1 were published on 23 June 2008 and those from the second session were published on 31 July 2008. Both these reports are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website.

Police: Ethnic Minority Recruits

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to revise the targets for ethnic minority recruits to the police service in England and Wales; if so, why; if not, what has been achieved by the existing targets; and what difference they have made.

Lord West of Spithead: The police service has made substantial progress over the past nine years in increasing the proportion of minority ethnic officers and staff in its workforce. Currently, minority ethnic officers and staff together represent 5.6 per cent of the service.
	The increase of minority ethnic officers to 4.1 per cent of warranted officers represents a doubling in representation since 1999. However, despite this progress, the service recognises that there is a lot more to do to achieve a truly representative service which is reflective of the communities it serves.
	The policing Green Paper: Cm 7448 "From the Neighbourhood to National: Policing Our Communities Together" http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/ policereform/Policing_Green.pdf, sets out a shift in the Government's approach to targets, setting out performance management generally. In future, there will be a single top-down numerical target for forces relating to public confidence. The emphasis will be on national support with greater local responsibility.
	The Green Paper also sets out proposals to develop an equality, diversity and human rights strategy. The strategy will include local setting of equality standards. The aim of these standards, which are currently being developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency, will be to assist the service to continue to improve performance and mainstream activity on equality and diversity. The standards will be set within a framework which will support authorities and forces in setting equality standards locally with national oversight retained through a new, more robust HMIC inspection regime including a proposed 2010 workforce inspection which will scrutinise (among other issues) the equality standards.
	The Government are currently consulting on whether the equality standards should include local employment targets such as for race and gender. This shift from national target-setting will provide for targets being agreed locally by police authorities in consultation with communities. This local approach would provide more local ownership and help reflect the needs of local diverse communities.

Royal Mail: Pension Service Post

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 29 September (WA 319—20), what sanctions there are against Royal Mail staff who are contracted to open personal and private post for the Department for Work and Pensions and are found to have breached the security rules.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The DWP contract for mail opening is with Haden Building Management Ltd, which operates a subcontract for this service with Royal Mail.
	DWP Security requirements are detailed both in the Haden contract and this Royal Mail sub-contract. In the event of a security breach, Royal Mail's security investigation team would be responsible for enforcing its conduct code policy and would carry out investigations in order to apply whatever sanction was deemed appropriate to the level of seriousness of that breach. A wide range of sanctions are possible, up to and including prosecution.

Somalia: Khat

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have undertaken any projects to deal with the level of trade in, and consumption of, khat in Somalia.

Lord Tunnicliffe: The Department for International Development (DfID) is supporting the Somalia employment, enterprise and livelihoods programme, implemented by the International Labour Organisation, which supports the empowerment of women and youth through employment opportunities and small-business development. This offers them an alternative livelihood from the khat trade. DfID is currently not supporting any other projects directly dealing in the trade in or consumption of khat in Somalia.

Weeds

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 29 September (WA 428), whether they plan to add Japanese knotweed to those weeds covered by the Weeds Act 1959, in the light of developments in relation to its control.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Weeds Act 1959 allows my right honourable friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) to take statutory action to control the spread of five injurious weeds: common ragwort; spear thistle; creeping or field thistle; curled dock; and broad leaved dock.
	Defra has no plans to add Japanese knotweed to the list of weeds covered by the Weeds Act 1959. However, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits causing Japanese knotweed to grow in the wild. As stated in the invasive non-native species framework strategy for Great Britain, we plan to identify what further legislative powers may be needed to tackle the issue of invasive non-native species.